Laser etched fiducials in roll-roll display

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of aligning comprising providing a support, applying a transparent layer, patterning at least the transparent layer to produce a pattern and an alignment feature capable of scattering light, illuminating the support and the transparent layer with oblique lighting, providing an analysis system capable of sensing scattered light from the alignment feature and referencing, sensing the scattered light from the alignment feature; referencing the scattered light from the alignment feature to a position on said support; and aligning a second operation to the position.

1. A method of aligning layers in a multilayer product comprising
 providing a support, 
 forming a transparent first patterned layer having areas of transparent material and areas without material where the first patterned layer includes an alignment feature capable of scattering light, 
 illuminating said support, and said transparent first patterned layer with oblique lighting, 
 providing an analysis system capable of sensing scattered light from said alignment feature and referencing, 
 sensing said scattered light from said alignment feature; 
 referencing said scattered light from said alignment feature to a position on said support; and 
 forming a second patterned layer aligned with the first patterned layer. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1  wherein said support comprises a flexible support. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1  wherein said support is a transparent specular support. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 3  wherein said providing an analysis system capable of sensing scattered light from said alignment feature further comprises providing a light trap for absorbing a portion of said oblique light and said scattered light, wherein said portion has passed through said transparent specular support. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 3  wherein said providing an analysis system capable of sensing scattered light from said alignment feature further comprises providing a light dump for directing away a portion of said oblique light and said scattered light, wherein said portion has passed through said transparent specular support. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 1  wherein said support is an opaque specular support. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 1  wherein said support is at least 3 microns in thickness. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 1  wherein said support comprises polyester. 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 1  wherein said support comprises aliphatic polyolefin. 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 9  wherein said aliphatic polyolefin comprises high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene, and oriented polypropylene (OPP). 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 1  wherein said transparent layer comprises a conductive material. 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 11  wherein said conductive material is conductive ink. 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 11  wherein said conductive material is polythiophene. 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 11  wherein said conductive material is ITO. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 1  wherein said patterning ablates or damages said support. 
   
   
     16. The method of  claim 1  wherein said alignment feature is a diffuse reflective surface area. 
   
   
     17. The method of  claim 1  wherein said illuminating comprises dark field illumination. 
   
   
     18. The method of  claim 1  wherein said oblique lighting comprises ultraviolet lighting. 
   
   
     19. The method of  claim 1  wherein said oblique lighting comprises visible lighting. 
   
   
     20. The method of  claim 13  wherein said oblique lighting comprises infrared lighting. 
   
   
     21. The method of  claim 1  wherein said oblique lighting comprises LED based illumination. 
   
   
     22. The method of  claim 1  wherein said oblique lighting comprises a fiber optic cold light source configured as a ring light with a shallow exit angle. 
   
   
     23. The method of  claim 1  wherein said oblique lighting comprises  20  a fiber optic cold light source configured as a line light. 
   
   
     24. The method of  claim 1  wherein said oblique lighting comprises an array of light emitting diodes arranged to form a line. 
   
   
     25. The method of  claim 1  wherein said oblique lighting comprises an array of light emitting diodes arranged to form a ring. 
   
   
     26. The method of  claim 1  wherein said oblique lighting comprises a point source with a suitably located collimating optic. 
   
   
     27. The method of  claim 1  wherein said oblique lighting comprises a laser arranged to strike the surface obliquely. 
   
   
     28. The method of  claim 1  wherein said analysis system capable of sensing scattered light from said alignment feature is a lens in combination with a camera. 
   
   
     29. The method of  claim 1  wherein said analysis system capable of sensing scattered light from said alignment feature and referencing is a solid-state camera interfaced to a computer. 
   
   
     30. The method of  claim 1  wherein said analysis system capable of sensing scattered light from said alignment feature and referencing comprises a camera, lens, and a processor utilizing an algorithm. 
   
   
     31. The method of  claim 1  wherein said second operation comprises a coating or screen printing operation. 
   
   
     32. The method of  claim 31  wherein said coating operation comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of coating a light modulating material, coating a second electrically conductive layer, and coating a functional layer. 
   
   
     33. The method of  claim 31  wherein said second operation comprises gravure coating of at least one member selected from the group consisting of adhesive layers, dye patches, protective laminate patches, and registration bars. 
   
   
     34. The method of  claim 33  wherein said dye patches and said laminate patches are multilayer patches. 
   
   
     35. The method of  claim 1  wherein said patterning at least said transparent layer to produce a pattern comprises patterning said support and said transparent layer. 
   
   
     36. The method of  claim 1  wherein forming the alignment feature is etched by a laser and the patterned layer comprises ITO.